Bungie's next game is an MMO

Bungie's hotly anticipated next game is a "massively multiplayer action game".

At a Game Developers Conference session titled, "I Shot You First: Networking the Gameplay of Halo: Reach," and attended by IGN, Bungie lead network engineer David Aldridge said the game is not "WOW in space", as was previously reported.

The Activision-published project is clouded in mystery, but Bungie has hinted at MMO-style features in the past.

Earlier this month Bungie was rumoured to be making a first-person MMO for Activision that will be called Destiny.

Codenamed Tiger, the game was said to be powered by a brand new game engine and boast matchmaking as well as a host of other online modes. It was defined as "WOW in space".

In early 2010, Bungie's Joseph Staten teased a GDC audience by asking, "Wouldn't it be great if we could make a world that was always there for you?"

In late April 2010, Bungie and Activision announced a 10-year multi-platform publishing deal. Now we know it was to make an MMO.

"I can't get into specifics," answered Bungie community director Brian Jarrard, "but we're definitely looking at building a universe that people want to spend time in."

"Much like Halo but we have much more grandiose vision here, so it's a long-term partnership for us.

"We're really embarking on something that will be a significant undertaking for the studio that will involve multiple games set inside this brand new IP and universe."

Barely a month later, in May 2010, a Bungie job vacancy advertising for someone with RPG know-how appeared.